Flow Charts

Understanding and Communicating How a Process Works

Flow charts are easy-to-understand diagrams showing how steps in a process fit together. This makes them useful tools for communicating how processes work, and for clearly documenting how a particular job is done. Furthermore, the act of mapping a process out in flow chart format helps you clarify your understanding of the process, and helps you think about where the process can be improved.

A flow chart can therefore be used to:

• Define and analyze processes;
• Build a step-by-step picture of the process for analysis, discussion, or communication; and
• Define, standardize or find areas for improvement in a process

Also, by conveying the information or processes in a step-by-step flow, you can then concentrate more intently on each individual step, without feeling overwhelmed by the bigger picture.

How to Use the Tool:

Most flow charts are made up of three main types of symbol:

• Elongated circles, which signify the start or end of a process;
• Rectangles, which show instructions or actions; and
• Diamonds, which show decisions that must be made

Within each symbol, write down what the symbol represents. This could be the start or finish of the process, the action to be taken, or the decision to be made.

Symbols are connected one to the other by arrows, showing the flow of the process.

To draw the flow chart, brainstorm process tasks, and list them in the order they occur. Ask questions such as “What really happens next in the process?” and “Does a decision need to be made before the next step?” or “What approvals are required before moving on to the next task?”

Start the flow chart by drawing the elongated circle shape, and labeling it “Start”.

Then move to the first action or question, and draw a rectangle or diamond appropriately. Write the action or question down, and draw an arrow from the start symbol to this shape.

Work through your whole process, showing actions and decisions appropriately in the order they occur, and linking these together using arrows to show the flow of the process. Where a decision needs to be made, draw arrows leaving the decision diamond for each possible outcome, and label them with the outcome. And remember to show the end of the process using an elongated circle labeled “Finish”.

Finally, challenge your flow chart. Work from step to step asking yourself if you have correctly represented the sequence of actions and decisions involved in the process.

And then (if you’re looking to improve the process) look at the steps identified and think about whether work is duplicated, whether other steps should be involved, and whether the right people are doing the right jobs.

I love this post from Kim Cofino about “The 21st Century Learner.”  She skillfully presents themed ideas for engaging learners through the use of new technologies. Kim’s second presentation, “The 21st Century Educator: The Power of Personal Learning Networks,” demonstrates how web 2.0 technologies change the way learning professionals communicate, collaborate, learn, and teach. Both are worth a look.  Let me know what you think

WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal: http://www.goodwebpractices.com/other/wordpress-vs-joomla-vs-drupal.html

Free Background and Image Generators

Thanks to Balkhis for this one…

“As I searched for a complete resource of online generators, I did not find any. I found multiple different categories of online generator lists such as favicon generators, css generators, badge generators, color generators, and so on. So I decided to create this ultimate list of online generators. Each of these generators are hand picked by myself and categorized so it is easy to browse. I believe each of these are extremely useful and time efficient. I use quite alot of these myself. So check out these posts, and I guarantee that after viewing all of these you will be bookmarking this post.”

Check out the free image and background generator collection: http://www.balkhis.com/web-designs-resources/55-extremely-useful-online-generators-for-designers/

Opposites Attract

This decade-old article by Fast Company’s Katharine Mieszkowski crackles with creative intensity and wisdom…

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/12/rftf.html

Today my boss’s boss, John, made me cry.

Don’t worry, it’s a good thing. He pointed me to a brief photo montage story called, “The Years Are Short.”  Check it out and see if you cry, too.

Just when the end of the story tugs at your heartstrings and makes you want to do something meaningful, you’re taken to Gretchen Rubin’s blog about The Happiness Project.

That’s where you can get some ideas for connecting with what (and who) matters in your life.  For example, you could start by selecting one of Gretchen’s “9 Tips for Making Yourself Happier in the Next 30 Minutes.”

How often throughout your day do you come across an acronym that makes no sense to you? Wouldn’t it be great if you could get the 411 FYI on that mysterious jumble of letters?

Well, wonder no more…

http://www.acronymfinder.com/

What a great tool!

Would You Stop to Listen?

A man sat at a metro station in Washington, DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousand of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. Three minutes went by and a middle-aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.
The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.
Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?
One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

- From The Effective Club

Are you one of the millions of people who are using Facebook to connect?  Tell us how Facebook helps you to improve your world.

Creating a Power-packed Vision Statement

One key to visualizing success is knowing what that success will look like when you get there. An inspiring vision statement is a vivid description of a desired outcome – it’s a picture of what you want to create. It’s different from a mission statement and works along with a mission statement to help you make choices that are in alignment with your goals.

Research shows that visualizing what you want in great detail will help you achieve it. The brain cannot tell the difference between something that has actually happened and something that is vividly imagined. This tool will help you in developing your vision of success.

Steps

The following vision statement activity is designed to be completed collaboratively. Using the group dynamic to help individual members focus allows for a more casual, less intimidating experience. For a group as large as 30 participants, include the following steps:
1. Label the activity as generically as possible, such as “Reflection for the Year Ahead.” In printed materials and introduction, do not refer to this as an exercise in “Creating a Vision Statement.”
2. Direct everyone to think for a moment about why they, as individuals, chose to join the “world of service.”
3. Hand out a 3″x5″ white index card to each participant. Direct each member to write an overall statement on their card about the impact they intend to work towards over the coming months. This should be restricted to two sentences maximum. Give members five minutes to complete this task.
4. Divide the group into teams of two if you have 10 or less, teams of three if you have 11-15, and teams of four or five otherwise. Hand out a 4″x6″ colored index card to each team. Using the individual cards, have team members work together to create a maximum of two sentences on the “communal” impact they intend to work towards over the coming months. Give teams about 15 minutes to write the final statement. (Some people finish this more quickly.)
5. Ask a volunteer from each team to read that team’s “communal” card aloud twice – so it will really sink in for the listeners.
6. After all cards have been read, lead a discussion on any similarities people heard.
7. Facilitate a 10-minute discussion (or until the group reaches consensus) on the impact members intend to work towards over the coming months. Write notes on flip chart pages as the discussion progresses. At the end of the conversation, write out a clean version.
8. Once you have a one- or two-sentence statement that everyone agrees on, announce that the group has created its vision statement.
9. Facilitator reads the statement to the entire group.

Function
Learning to write a vision statement is so essential that it should be incorporated into the high school curriculum. Vision statements, when done right, have the power to focus intentions and perspectives in personal, passionate ways. The earlier an individual is able to do this, the sooner his life will start to make sense.

Vision statements put on paper what we carry around in our hearts every day. Knowing it’s there is one thing; breaking it down into visual specifics is another. Words on paper have the power to hold us accountable. Here are a couple things to look for when creating a vision statement.

Features
A vision statement depicts a project’s future using all the key elements of your beliefs, values and what you look to accomplish. For example, let’s say you’re starting a company food-bank program. Start by identifying a motto to use as a springboard. A motto for the food bank program could be:

“Our community knows we care.”

This desired impact will be a big part of your vision statement’s objective.

Identification
A well-crafted vision statement will combine the ideal outcome of your project with the value, or belief or passion that fueled it. An example of this might be:

“The ABC Company Food Bank is a community partner offering assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, from 3 satellite offices throughout the Tri-County area. We’re here to make sure our community knows ABC Company cares.”

Each identified goal within your statement will be a necessary part of the vision’s outcome and impact. Possible goals for the ABC Company might be:

(1) To ensure our youngest community members have access to healthy foods and supplies through our infant/toddler centers.
(2) To provide our home-bound and elderly community members needed provisions through our Meals On Wheels Initiative.
(3) To meet the educational needs of the young families in our community through health and dietary training seminars.

Benefits
A well-crafted vision statement provides a sense of grounding inside your life experience. It draws from the soul part of your team, connecting you to the very best of what the team represents.

Putting words to the core purpose of your team’s experience provides a sense of direction and force that would otherwise be lacking. The vision statement becomes the heart and reason for your plan.
Important note. This is not a one-time-only process.

This can be revisited as often as necessary. How do you know when you need to revisit it, and create a new vision?
· When things start to feel routine.
· When the actions you are taking on a daily basis are no longer inspired, or when they begin to feel lifeless.
· When nothing is pulling you forward.
That’s the time to invent a new vision.